I Spy
by wewritetogether
Summary: For our second co-written FanFic, we decided on a story that would introduce a new setting into our writing - the beach. We deliberated over a few scenarios, again, but went with Chummy and Peter telling Freddie some big news. We hope you enjoy!


Freddie Noakes was growing at a fast pace, he towered above the many other three year old children on his street, he had truly inherited his mother's height. His speech was also developing rather fast, he was picking up new words and forming sentences that would shock his parents and sometimes make them forget that he still was only three years old. The latest being "By gosh what a lovely day!"

This made both Peter and Chummy very nervous of their own words, Peter was prone to a few choice words when things didn't go his way and Chummy, well she was always talking in riddles or using phrases such as "bally botherations" They didn't want Freddie to absorb these habits, they wanted him to develop his own way, they wanted him to be his own person and by golly he was going to be!

One night after coming home from a play date with Angela, Freddie used his new found vocabulary to ask his parents a question. The question was asked just as Peter and Chummy were tucking him into his bed, he looked at them as they said their Goodnights and God blesses and blurted out;

'Can I have a sister?'

Chummy and Peter stood up, in complete shock, they looked at each other, both knowing the secret that they had not yet told their son. He smiled again, waiting for a response. Chummy just giggled, Peter took it upon himself to answer, and just in time, Freddie was getting rather frustrated with the silence.

"We'll see. The thing is Freddie..."

Chummy gave her husband a forceful nudge in the ribs; she thought Peter was going to finally release the secret. Peter looked at her.

He continued; "The thing is Freddie, babies don't just arrive. We can't just ask the postman to drop one off with the daily newspaper!"

Chummy let out a sigh, Peter may have inadvertently opened a can of worms, she prepared herself for many more questions, like, where do baby sisters come from? But in fact, Freddie shocked them once again with;

"Okay." As he settled down into his bed and closed his eyes.

"Goodnight now little one" Chummy whispered, as she leant over the bed and kissed her son on his forehead before stepping back to allow Peter to do the same.

"Goodnight Fred, me and mummy love you lots" Peter said equally as quiet as his wife.

Chummy had moved to the doorway and stood watching her family with her hand on her stomach, smiling. She had to be the luckiest woman in Poplar, surely? She had such an affectionate husband and the world's most adorable, yet cheeky, little boy. Her free hand rested on the light switch, waiting for Peter to leave their son's side so she could leave the room in an inky blackness.

"That one's growing up fast." Peter declared as he undressed to his vest and pants, folding his clothes neatly before taking out his peppermint striped pyjamas - the red had now faded to a pastel pink he'd had them that long.

"Yes," replied Chummy from the bathroom, "He is. It scares me somewhat thinking that our baby is soon to be no longer a baby." Peter had to strain to hear the last sentence, as her words were muffled by the fact she had her toothbrush in her mouth.

A few minutes later she padded into the bedroom, the sound of her feet insulated from the floorboards by the carpet. The lights were out, Peter's bedside lamp was the only thing lighting the room and Chummy noted how it gave off an eerie, alienated glow. She laid her dressing gown over her chair and sat on the edge of the bed, sliding her feet out of her slippers before pushing her legs under the duvet and snuggling down under. She let Peter carry on reading, laying there in silence listening to him occasionally turn the page - it was quite peaceful. She mentally noted how the page turns were further spread apart as her husband became increasingly tired.

"Do you think we should tell him?" Chummy mused, once she and Peter were laid side by side in bed, her head resting on his shoulder slightly "I mean, I feel bad for not telling him"

"It's entirely up to you; I would have already told him by now, that is if I had my way!" Smirked Peter.

"And what do you mean by that!?' Defended Chummy as she swiftly sat up, removing her head from his shoulder.

Chummy was still very scared of the new changes, she was getting more and more used to the idea of having another baby, but the thought of having to go through labour again terrified her. She blanked Peter's advances, but soon gave in. She resumed her position on his shoulder.

Peter apologised for his earlier comment; "What I meant is that it is your decision, telling people is your choice, if you're ready, so am I. If you're not, then neither am I!' He giggled as Chummy tickled her feet against his. "Stop it!" He said in between giggles.

"Peter!" Gasped Chummy as she stopped and grabbed his hand, "Feel!" She pressed his hand onto her growing bump. "Can you feel it?"

Peter could, he was mesmerised. The strength of the kick, maybe it was another boy, with a kick like that he most certainly could be a footballer.

"We should tell him shouldn't we?' Caved Chummy. "Which means that we'll have to tell everyone else as well!'

Peter now had his ear pressed against Chummy's stomach, listening very carefully. Another kick came, only just missing Peter's nose. "I think he's telling me to move!"

"Peter, how do we tell him? We can't just blurt it out?" Quizzed Chummy, lifting his head off her stomach.

"Why don't we take him somewhere? To the beach maybe?" Beamed Peter. "We haven't been to the beach in such a long time!"

Chummy just tutted, "Peter Noakes, you're such a big kid!"

"So that's a yes then!?" Peter pushed "We're going to the beach!?"

Chummy began to giggle at the excitement of her husband; he really was a big kid, not much bigger than Freddie. Peter would probably be more excited about going to the beach than their son.

"Yes, Peter," Chummy smiled as she held his head between her hands "We can go to the beach, even if it is just to please the kid inside of you." she winked before planting a kiss on his forehead. "But we really need to think of how we're going to tell him, we can't just announce it over fish and chips or ice cream."

"We will think of something, don't you worry darling, it will be fine" Peter reassured her "but for now, we sleep!" he ordered as he rolled over and turned off his lamp before rolling back over, giving his wife a goodnight kiss and settling down.

"It will all be okay. It will all be okay." Chummy whispered under her breath. No matter how much she tried to believe people when they told her that, about anything, she always doubted it. How could she believe people one hundred percent when they'd told her it would all be okay before and her and her son had almost died?

"It WILL all be okay," Peter interrupted her thoughts and pulled her close to him "I'm here to take care of you and so is everybody else. Nothing bad is ever going to happen to you again. You or anybody else," he silently gestured to his wife's developing stomach "Anybody else..." he repeated "OUR anybody else"

He held her for a while, just in silence; neither of them needed to say anything because they each knew that they had each other and that was enough.

"It will all be okay" she repeated before closing her eyes and willing herself to sleep and forget even if it was just for a short while.

"I love you, Peter," she said quietly "Thank you."

"I love you, Camilla" came the faint reply of a man who was completely in love, with not just his wife, but his whole family.

They soon fell asleep, their hands locked together.

Peter woke at 6am, he was so very excited. He lay still, watching his wife sleep, she snored ever so quietly. As he watched her, the shadow of a certain three year old appeared at the door.

Peter whispered almost silently, "Good morning sir!"

He carefully clambered out of bed and walked round to the doorway, Freddie was still half asleep; he stood there stretching and yawning.

"Do you want to get into bed with mummy?' Asked Peter picking up his sleepy son, who nodded gently. "You're going to need all of your energy!"

"Why daddy?" Asked Freddie as he summoned the energy.

"You'll soon see!" Peter placed Freddie next to his mother who still slept deeply; he stroked the face of his tired toddler, until he again fell asleep. Then traipsed to the kitchen, he checked the pantry for ingredients to make breakfast and maybe a nice picnic. Peter grew more excited by the minute.

The smell of bacon and sausage filled the Noakes' house and as soon as the smell filtered into the bedroom, Chummy and Freddie started to stir; Peter was sat at the bottom of the bed, showered and dressed. He started to tickle Chummy's feet, payback for her doing it to him the night before. She began to stir once again; he continued to tickle but suddenly was launched of the bed when Chummy's foot flung up from the covers planting the sole of her foot on Peter's abdomen.

From the floor he shouted "Breakfast is served!"

Seated around the table, the three Noakes' ate their breakfast in silence. Peter had cooked up a full English for him and Chummy, and even a small portion for Freddie! Chummy was thinking about her and Peter's conversation from the previous night and Peter was also doing the same. Freddie, on the other hand, was sat wondering why there was a big basket sat on the floor near the door. Were they getting a cat? Or maybe a dog?

Once all the plates were cleaned of food, Peter collected them and begun to wash. He hummed under his breath, to himself, and looked out the kitchen window - it was going to be a beautiful day; at the present moment there were only traces of wispy, white clouds dancing across the sky, the sky was an azure blue and the sun shone strong.

"Mummy!" Freddie shouted, breaking the silence between them and also scaring his parents half to death.

"Yes?" His mother replied, her heart still thumping in the chest.

"Why is there a big basket near the door?" Freddie questioned, managing to just fit the sentence together.

"Well..." Chummy began, but was interrupted by a very excitable Peter.

"... You know I told you that you needed your energy, Fred? Well, it's because, me and mummy are taking you to the beach!"

"What he means is that me and you are taking him to the beach" Chummy chuckled, winking at her husband who had a grin on his face, spreading from ear to ear.

Freddie giggled "The beach! The beach! Me and mummy taking daddy to the beach!"

"Come on then trouble," Chummy teased as she tickled her son's sides gently "Let's go get you ready for a fun day out!"

Chummy and Freddie ran to get ready, Peter just waited at the front door, basket in hand, as excited as a puppy, if he had a tail it would be wagging rapidly. He became impatient, he dropped the basket and climbed the stairs, Freddie and Chummy were hiding from him.

"Come on guys! Let's be having you! We're going to miss the bus!" Pleaded Peter.

The two jumped out from the other side of the bed, causing Peter a mini heart attack, they were changed but decided to let Peter stew for a bit, his shock soon turned to a look of sadness.

"Can we go?" Begged Peter.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realise you were ready!" Teased Chummy.

The three of them made their way down the stairs and out of the front door, only for Peter to pop back in to retrieve the basket he had forgotten to take with them. He again closed and locked the door and joined his family in their walk to the bus stop. The local coach company would put on family trips to Southend-on-Sea, he rang first thing to ensure there was space on board, it was his lucky day; two seats were still in need of filling. They waited at the bus stop, ten minutes passed and the Bus appeared, it was a powder blue, Reliance Harrington Cavalier, the Noakes piled onto the filled coach and it set off.

The coach was filled with families, all on their way to the beach for the day, or even for a long weekend. Everywhere you looked there was a rainbow sea of buckets and spades, picnic baskets, full to the brim, balanced precariously on the father's knees whilst the children too young for a seat of their own sat securely on their mother's knees. There was a cacophony of deafening sounds - people chattering, people arguing, children crying and shouting and their mother's shouting back telling them to sit still and shut up.

Peter sighed and rested his head on the back of the seat. He had been looking forward to this trip, but the noise on the coach was horrendous, as was the heat and it was giving him a headache. He turned his head slightly to watch his wife and their son - Chummy was playing I spy out the window with Freddie, or was trying. It was more like:

"I spy with my little eye something beginning with" Chummy began.

"M!" Shouted Freddie.

Chummy rattled off a load of words beginning with 'M' she could think of: Mummy, moon, money and Freddie just shook his head. In the end, Chummy gave up, and it turned out that the object Freddie had spied was... Moo cow. Chummy was trying, bless her, but this game was tiring! Peter chuckled at the metaphorical pain his wife was going through trying to entertain him.

"What are you laughing at mister?" Chummy quizzed, giving him a soft dig in the ribs with her elbow.

"Ouch!" Peter shouted "Bony elbows! I was laughing at your two's game, actually, it sounds quite fun."

"Oh, well do feel free to join in dear, in fact, you can take over if you like?" She replied, winking. Which meant the Peter had no choice, it was his turn to play I spy with Freddie.

"Come on then Fred, let's me and you play whilst your mum has a rest!"

"Okay daddy!" Freddie beamed "Fred has a good one!"

"I'm sure you do young sir," Peter chuckled "I bet you end up winning, again!"

Just as Chummy handed her son over, she felt an enormous kick against her ribs and biting her cheek was the only thing she could do to stop herself from crying out. Peter saw the look on his wife's face and mouthed "Are you okay?" to her, to which she replied:

"Oh yes, perfectly fine thank you. Tip top tickety boo!" and then mouthed "Kick" to which Peter nodded his head; he understood.

Chummy was thankful it had waited till after Fred had gotten passed to his father before kicking, as that could have been an awkward conversation and this cramped, smelly bus was not the right place to tell Freddie their news!

'Off you go then Fred!' Signalled Peter as he rubbed his hands together. 'I spy...'

Freddie interrupted, 'I spy, daddy, I spy! Ssss! Freddie spy a Ssss!'

Peter looked around, he couldn't really find anything that started with an 'S' but started to throw answers at Freddie, Sun, Sky, Silver, for the silver on the ashtray that magically appeared from the seat in front. All answers were wrong!

'Daddy give up!?' Chuckled Freddie.

'Yes, daddy gives up!' Peter said, all energy deflating from him as he released a huge sigh.

Freddie pointed to Chummy. Many words filled Peter's head, none that seemed appropriate for young ears and of course none that Freddie would know or use to describe his mother.

'Sleepy mummy!' Laughed Freddie as Chummy opened her eyes and smiled at the two.

'Mummy was just resting her eyes!' Corrected Chummy.

'I spy' Started Freddie, but was interrupted when the bus stopped and the bus driver yelled '**_All out!' _**Freddie and Peter clapped excitedly in unison as they spotted the beach out of the window. As the people filtered out the excitement grew! Freddie bounced up and down on Peter's lap, causing a little bit of discomfort, but Peter was glad he was getting the brunt of it and not Chummy. It was their time to get off the bus, Freddie first with help from the driver jumped from the top stairs, then Chummy and finally Peter who felt like a pack horse piled up with all of their belongings!

The driver shouted to everyone as he got back on the bus, 'If you're returning tonight then be here, 5pm on the dot! Any later and you'll be left behind!' The doors shut and off he drove.

Chummy and Peter both mentally noted the time to be back, Chummy checking how long they had before they had - 7 hours, not too bad, they could get plenty of stuff done in that time! She looked across the road, out towards the beach and the sea beyond and thought about how beautiful it looked with the sun's pool of crimson gold pouring out and draping everything in its colour.

Her thoughts were disrupted with Peter mumbling in the background about how he'd managed to drop some of their belongings on the pavement. She heard him silently curse and then heard the shuffling and struggling as he attempted to pick everything back up again. She then also heard the little pattering of feet, feeling slight vibrations of the pavement as Freddie was stood stamping his feet in an almost ritual-like way.

"Freddie, what an Earth are you doing?" Chummy giggled, as she turned around to see her son excitedly stamping his feet on the ground, his fists clenched into tiny little balls and his face red with a mixture of excitement and impatience.

"Wishing you and daddy are ready so that we can go on the beach, mummy!" Freddie replied, breathless from his little dance.

"Come on, you," Chummy replied "Let's go then! Pick up your bucket and spade for daddy, please."

She took Freddie's little hand - as he picked up his bucket and spade in the other - and picked up the picnic basket to help her husband out before leading her son to the edge of the pavement and waiting to cross.

"What do we do Fred?" Chummy asked.

"We look left!" Freddie shouted excitedly "And right!" he finished as he and his parents simultaneously did so as a few cars whizzed past.

"And then what do we do?" Peter added.

"CROSS TO BEACH" Freddie squealed, excitedly dragging Chummy by the arm as she signalled it was safe to cross, energetically jumping onto the beach and sending a spray of sand flying up into the air - which consequently got gracefully blown away by the slight breeze. Peter not so gracefully plonked their belongings down in the soft sand and began to take off his shoes as Freddie threw himself onto the sand and began digging. Chummy just took in a deep breath of fresh sea air and stood for a moment, contemplating.

"Come here Fred," Peter said, holding out his hands for Freddie to come to "Let's take off your shoes so that we don't get sand inside of them!"

Freddie was too busy digging to walk back to his father so decided to take his shoes off and throw them instead; they just missed his father's head, who was bent down still taking off his own shoes.

"Sorry daddy" Laughed Freddie as he filled the bucket with sand.

Peter and Chummy started to arrange their things; first of all they put down the blanket, using their shoes and the picnic basket as anchors so the edges wouldn't fly up and throw sand all over them. Peter undid the top few buttons of his shirt, to let his chest breathe. The weather was perfect; a gentle breeze filled the air as the sun shone directly above them. Chummy made a pillow from the towels and settled down with a choice book. Peter walked over to Freddie, he enthusiasm had not faltered. He began to build up a mound of sand; Freddie stopped and watched as his father started to build.

'What's that daddy?' Quizzed Freddie, toppling his bucket I've to release the trapped sand.

"A mountain for our castle, and that's the moat!' He beamed.

"A moat?" Said Freddie sounding very confused.

"It protects whoever lives in the castle from baddies!" Answered Peter, trying to use words Freddie would understand.

"You protect us from baddies, are you a moat?' Questioned Freddie.

Chummy let an almighty cackle. "No sweetie, a moat is a river!'

'Daddy's not a river! Although you are right! Daddy does protect you from baddies, but daddy is a policeman!" Laughed Peter.

The time flew, the castle grew, together Peter and Freddie built their own little kingdom, three castles and many small houses dotted about on their small patch of the beach. Chummy glanced at her watch, it was one o'clock. Time for lunch!

'Lunch time boys!' She shouted.

Peter and Freddie had walked down to the sea, to collect water for the moat. Peter signalled that he had heard her with a quick thumbs up. She laid out the food and drink as her loved ones got closer and closer. They tipped the sea water into their handmade moat and joined Chummy on the blanket. The food looked delicious. Ham sandwiches, cheese straws and sausage rolls, all to be washed down some blackcurrant cordial.

"Thank you mummy!' Smiled Freddie. "Daddy, I love the beach!" He continued.

"So do I Freddie! We thought this would be the best place to tell you." Peter paused. Chummy held his hand.

Freddie looked at them, his face completely blank "Daddy, what?" And took a big bite out of his sandwich - he had no idea what they were on about.

Chummy looked at her husband, quite anxious that they were going to do this. She wasn't sure whether the feeling in her stomach was excitement, fear, ingestion or trapped wind. She guessed probably a mixture of the latter three, more so the trapped wind knowing her! She squeezed Peter's hand so hard that he let out a little yelp.

"Ouch!" He cried "That hurt!" He pulled a scowl at his wife and playfully poked her in the arm.

Chummy giggled nervously "Sorry darling! Are you ready?"

Freddie had decided to ignore his parents; they were talking no sense whatsoever and dipped his hand into the picnic basket to pick out another sandwich, which he dropped onto the sand.

"Mummy! Daddy!" He cried "Dropped my sandwich"

"Well, Fred, it is definitely a SANDwich now!" Laughed Peter whole heartedly, the only one to find this joke so funny, as he passed his son another sandwich "No matter, have this one instead, let the seagulls have yours"

"What are seagulls, daddy?" Freddie enquired.

"Not now Freddie," Chummy interrupted "Me and daddy have something exciting to tell you"

Peter squeezed Chummy's hand for moral support, gesturing to her that she should tell him.

"Well, you know you asked if you could have a sister, last night?"

"Yes?" Freddie waited for the news, he just wanted them to tell him so he could get on with his food; he was mighty hungry after all that playing in the sand!

"Well, it turns out, that you_ are_ going to have a baby brother or sister!" Chummy blurted out, beaming from ear to ear - much like her husband.

Freddie stopped eating mid chew and looked at his parents before giving them a huge, ham sandwich filled smile.

"Freddie is going to have a sister?!" He asked, not quite believing it.

"Yes!" Chimed both his parents at once.

Nothing could prepare either Chummy or Peter for what Freddie was going to say next:

"But daddy said that we couldn't just ask the postman for one, so where did she come from?" Freddie quizzed further.

Peter and Chummy looked at each other in disbelief.

"I'll leave this one to you, dear" Chummy blushed "Make it as toddler friendly as possible." She added, before lying back down on the sand with her book, one hand resting on her stomach which held the next member of her perfect little family.


End file.
